London Goes Back to the Future

Revealing how Britain might have looked had the spies of yesteryear not foiled the Gunpowder Plot, thwarted attempts to murder Queen Elizabeth I, and aided Henry VIII’s break from Rome.

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Scottish-Style Castles Along The Southbank

Supporters of Mary, Queen of Scots frequently concocted plots to overthrow the current Queen, Elizabeth I, and put Mary on the throne. Had these plots not been thwarted by spies, Mary would have become Queen, and historians predict she would have made her mark in London by building Scottish-style castles along the river Thames.

An Extravagant Replacement for the Houses of Parliament

If Guy Fawkes and the Gunpowder Plot had been successful, the Houses of Parliament would have been destroyed and a void would have been left in London’s skyline. Historians predict this would have been filled by an opulent castle fit for a princess, as success of the Gunpowder Plot would have meant the death of King James I, and his daughter Elizabeth would have taken the throne in his place. History shows that Elizabeth had an extravagant taste, and predict that she would have demanded that a castle custom-built for her needs was what replaced the Houses of Parliament.

Prominent Monasteries Across London Skylines

Henry VIII dissolved scores of monasteries during his time as King in an effort to move England towards the new Church of England and away from Catholicism. Had he not been successful, these monasteries might still have stood prominently in London’s skyline.